#mitsutomoe

[sweetmeatdale]

The mitsutomoe for the Tsurugi corporation and for Ryuuko go in opposite directions, the company is counter clockwise and then her superhero logo is clockwise.

[foxofinari]

New blog post!

If you are familiar with Shinto or Japanese culture at all, you will most likely have seen the tomoe symbol. Tomoe,  (巴 or 鞆絵, とも) is a Japanese symbol that is widely accepted as the symbol of Shinto. ‘Tomoe’ can roughly be translated as ‘comma’, with mitsu-tomoe meaning ‘three commas’. The mitsu-domoe is the version usually used as a symbol in Shinto, with three being a sacred number.

Read the post here!

[studentofshinto]

Magatama. Shinto talisman of good fortune in Japan.Bead with religious significance in Shinto traditions.

Behold the lowly MAGATAMA 勾玉 or 曲玉

No mater how you cut it, no mater how you group it, it is still a Magatama.

Magatama excavated from the ruins in Kushiro City (Nusamai Ruins No. 71 Tomb)

The Magatama is the form of the sacred jewel of the Imperial regalia as well as an integral part of Shinto regalia. The sword, the jewel, and the mirror.

The Imperial Regalia

When the tail is curled all the way around to form a circle it is called a Migi hitotsudomoe 右一つ巴. When two are placed together it forms the Tao symbol commonly known as a yin yang which is  also known as Hidari futatsudomoe 左二つ巴. Three together form the migi  mitsudomoe 右三つ巴, which is also known as the Mitsutomoe, and Kamiyo.

The Mitsotomoe is seen in Shinto as the fundamental structure of creation. The origin is seen in the origin  of galaxies and in the beginnings of life. The leftward spiral symbolizes Ki coalescing into matter, and the rightward spiral, which can be seen on many Shinto Shrines, represents matter returning to Ki. Left and right are also linked to female and male kamisama.

And if you look for it, you will often find the Magatama in unexpected places such as in the play of shadow and light in the following photo.

O-Tengu By KittyrinnAiko